Sunday Reflection: Southern Cameroons Crisis; One Church, two Truths- A BaretaNews Analysis

Since the eruption of the Southern Cameroons crisis in October, 2016, which has succeeded in dismantling the cohesion of the Cameroons, the Church in La Republic du Cameroon and Southern Cameroons have increasingly appeared divided on the Truth.As the majority population in both parts of the Country continue to foster the believability of their separate narratives, what appears to be the truth on what is poking the revolution is also not the same in the eyes of the church in the two Cameroons. This could be seen from the dis-concordance tunes coming from the declarations and statements of church leaders from the two sides of the geopolitical divide since the commencement of the crisis.

To the church in LRC, the crisis is about the failure and non-implementation of effective decentralization as outline in the 1996 Constitution in a one and indivisible Cameroon; while to the church in Southern Cameroons, it is an over spill of 56 years of grievances of a people emanating from a failed union of two people, equal in status. In other words, the crisis is anchored on the shaky historical and foundational design of the geopolitical architecture called the Republic of Cameroon. Whoever is saying the truth (of course we all knowthe truth), one question that must be asked is: Is the TRUTH also subjective in the Church, especially the church of Jesus Christ, like it is in “circularism”?
Christianity is guided and driven by biblical principles and injunctions, one of which is that there is one Lord, one Faith and one Baptism under one God. Christianity holds that the Truth is God and God is the Truth. God in His personality and doings remain the same, yesterday, today and forever. Consequently, manipulating the Truth to suit our whims and caprices can never be sustainable; neither can lies be beautifully crafted to circumvent the Truth. In simple terms, the Truth is sacred; thus no matter how falsehood struggle to overthrow it, the Truth shall always prevail.

Based on the above, it is therefore inexplicable to explain why (if not of self-centeredness and deceitfulness) people who are seen as venerated leaders of the Church of Christ and ought to provide sustainable solutions to the present imbroglio, will want to contravene the truth surrounding the present crisis. Is the fact that they come from the other side “across the Mongolo” enough to make them deny the Truth about the Cameroons and the recent events as presented by their colleagues of the Southern Cameroons? Assuming that the limping regime of Paul Biya was ready for Dialogue, wouldn’t a frank and successful dialogue be anchored on the Truth of what is brewing the revolution? Is their belief for a certain one and indivisible Cameroun enough to make them throw away the Truth, which is a principal tenet of the Faith they proclaim?

Anyway, it is often said that the Church is the People and the People make the church. Considering that the Cameroons is made of two peoples – “La Republiquans” and Southern Cameroonians/Ambazonians, it is therefore not surprising that the church leadership is also divided, with each side appearing to defend its own people and interests. However, if the God we all worship is one God and the God of Truth, all church leaders in the Cameroons, whether La Republique or Southern Cameroons must stand-up to the Truth which is sacred. It is not their individual interests based opinions or their patriotic/nationalistic positions in this crisis that will determine the divisibility or indivisibility of the Cameroons. The Cameroons shall be separated or united based on the TRUTH, JUSTICE and the ULTIMATE WILL of God.

Therefore,standing on the side of God and the Truth is just the right thing to do. A Church, built on the foundation of Truth on both sides of the Mungo shall be easily reconcilable, more united and resilient even in a fragmented Cameroons (La Republique du Cameroon and the Southern Cameroons/Ambazonia), than a church built on conflicting/ opposing variables of Truth on one side and falsehood on the other side. We shall know the TRUTH and it is only the TRUTH that shall set us all Free, as the struggle continues unabated.

By James Agbor, BaretaNews Political Desk Analyst